Books were originally written on skins, on linen or cotton cloth, and on Egyptian papyrus, whence our word "paper." The leaves of the book were generally written in columns, designated by a Hebrew word properly meaning "doors" and "valves" ( Jeremiah 36:23 , RSV, marg. "columns").

Among the Hebrews books were generally rolled up like our maps, or if very long they were rolled from both ends, forming two rolls ( Luke 4:17-20 ). Thus they were arranged when the writing was on flexible materials; but if the writing was on tablets of wood or brass or lead, then the several tablets were bound together by rings through which a rod was passed.

The book of judgment ( Daniel 7:10 ) refers to the method of human courts of justice as illustrating the proceedings which will take place at the day of God's final judgment.

The book of the wars of the Lord ( Numbers 21:14 ), the book of Jasher ( Joshua 10:13 ), and the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah and Israel ( 2 Chronicles 25:26 ), were probably ancient documents known to the Hebrews, but not forming a part of the canon.

The book of the covenant ( Exodus 24:7 ), containing Exodus 20:22-23:33, , is the first book actually mentioned as a part of the written word. It contains a series of laws, civil, social, and religious, given to Moses at Sinai immediately after the delivery of the decalogue. These were written in this "book."